If your child has ever had a rash and you decided to Google it to see if you could figure out whether it was a diaper rash or yeast rash, you may have been overwhelmed with the results.
There are so many different types of rashes, many of which look the same, that it’s hard to tell which is which.
I hear a lot of moms (and yes, even some doctors) mistake yeast rashes for regular ole’ diaper rash.
It’s easy to do because, at first, they both look very similar, but after a couple of days you can really start to see a difference—if you know what to look for.
Today, I want to talk to you about the causes of these rashes, what you can do to prevent them, how to tell which is which, and what you can do to treat each of them quickly.
Causes Of Diaper Rash
Diaper rash (including yeast rash) is caused by a variety of different things, but the following 5 are what I’ve found to be the most common.
- Infrequent diaper changes
- Foods
- Sickness
- Friction
- Allergies
Infrequent Diaper Changes
The most well-known diaper rash culprit is infrequent diaper changes.
Now, I’m a mom living in the real world of having 3 children and a load of responsibility, and this is a safe zone. I’m sure we’ve all let our kids wear a dirty diaper a little too long at some point or another—and yes, that includes wet diapers, not just poppy ones. No one here is judging you for that. The fact of the matter is this… diapers are a convenience, and we, as moms, can get busy and let them become REALLY convenient. For some babies and toddlers, this is more of a problem than for others. Some kids have sensitive skin and can develop a rash quickly and easily. Others (like mine) rarely get rashes, especially when it comes to wearing a diaper a little too long.
Foods
Foods are also a big cause of diaper rashes, specifically when you’re introducing solids to your baby.
Now, with my kids, I was never really been in a big hurry to get them eating on their own. They were all breastfed, and that’s what I wanted as their main source of nutrition. When it came time to introducing some first foods, I tried to focus on choosing foods that were less likely to irritate their bottoms (and their guts) when I first started feeding them. Mashed avocado is a first food in our house! This cut down on food-related diaper rashes a lot for my babies.
As my kids got older and grew into toddlers, we still had some instances where they would all of a sudden get a terrible diaper rash because they ate something and their poo ended up becoming very acidic, burning their skin. No fun!
Sickness
Another cause for diaper rashes is sickness.
When kids get sick, their bodies and everything going on with them can change. Their gut can slow down because their body is putting a large amount of energy into fighting the sickness they’re dealing with. This can mean less digested foods, and it can also mean toxins in their poo as their body fights off the nasties that are making it sick. Both of these things can end in your little one having a red bottom.
Friction
Friction will also cause diaper rash on babies bottom.
This is seen mostly when a baby is in between diaper sizes. If you use disposable diapers, you won’t see this as much because disposable diapers sizes overlap a bit. However, if you cloth diaper, you may see it a bit more if your baby’s current diaper is a bit snug and the next size up is a bit too loose.
For the most part, diaper rash from friction will show up around the waist or the legs where the diaper would rub at.
Allergies
Lastly, allergies can cause diaper rash.
No, I’m not talking about seasonal allergies. I’m talking about allergies to chemicals that cause a skin reaction. This could be from disposable diapers, the type of fabric used on your cloth diapers, to the detergent you’re using to wash diapers or clothes in. If your little one is sensitive to a chemical or fabric, their skin is going to react to it when exposed.
How To Tell If Baby’s Rash Is A Diaper Rash Or Yeast Rash
Over and over, you’re told that regular diaper rash is a red rash that is slightly raised or bumpy feeling and is often scattered across the diaper area. A yeast rash, on the other hand, is much redder (called beefy red), the edge of the rash is very defined and raised, and there are bumps that surround the edge of the rash (called satellite lesions).
Not getting a mental image? Google is your friend, but beware! You may come across some photos of some really bad looking diaper rashes. You may also wonder how on earth it got so bad or why no one did anything about it early on. Some are really pitiful. Just be aware.
For me, browsing through photos sometimes works and sometimes it doesn’t. Most times it doesn’t.
So, how do I tell if my baby has a diaper rash or yeast rash? Well, I don’t really. What I do is that I always treat any rash on my kids bottom the same… with my homemade diaper cream. If that doesn’t help it go away or improve within a couple days, I’ll switch to something that contains some stronger herbs. I may also start treating for a yeast rash. This has always worked for us, and I’ve never needed to take my kids to the doctor over a rash that wouldn’t go away on their bottom.
Want my amazingly awesome diaper rash cream recipe? You can get it, for FREE, when you enter your name and email address below! I hope you love it as much as I do, mama!
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Preventing Diaper Rash
Prevention is always first. Always.
If you do your best at preventing your child from getting a diaper rash, yeast or not, you don’t have to worry so much about treating it, right? The thing is, it’s easier said than done, but we can all try our best.
Change Those Diapers!!!
If your kid makes a poop, change it—within 10 minutes if at all possible. Don’t let it sit on their bottom, especially if they’re prone to getting a rash. Same thing with wet diapers except it’s not as frequently. What is it… change them every 2 hours if it’s only a wet diaper? I honestly can’t remember, but I think it’s close to that. The skin can tolerate a wet diaper longer than a poopy diaper without developing a rash. But, if you leave wet diapers on your baby all day, only changing it when it’s full and can’t hold anymore, you’re setting them up for a nasty rash (and most likely a yeast rash).
Warm, moist areas are breeding grounds for bacteria and yeast. The goal is to keep baby’s bum clean and dry.
Ease Into Solids
When it comes to preventing diaper rash from foods, don’t rush into introducing foods. Baby’s love mama’s milk, and it’s so good for them. They don’t have to get going on solids right at 4 months. Give them some time. When you do begin to introduce solids to your baby, try out the Weston A. Price model of feeding babies and see how that works for you. I love it because I feel like it really works with your baby’s development and gives them optimal nutrition with breast milk or healthy homemade baby formula being the base of it all. If you’re looking for a really great traditional cookbook full of recipes your baby and toddler will love, check out Nourished Beginnings Baby Food by my friend Renee!
Approaching Sickness
As far as sickness goes, there are a couple things to think about when it comes to preventing rashes.
First of all, preventing sickness in the first place is #1. Feeding your kids healthy foods and healthy fats so their immune systems are running at an optimal level to keep their bodies healthy. Secondly, if they do get sick, boosting their immune system with immune stimulating herbs and protecting their bottoms against nasty poos will go a long way in preventing diaper rash.
Loosen Up
Friction diaper rashes are a no brainer… loosen up those diapers!
Go Non-Toxic
Same goes with allergies. When it comes to your kid getting a rash due to his diapers, it may take some time to figure out the exact cause of it. It could be the brand of disposable you’re using. It could be the type of material his diaper is made out of. It could be the detergent you’re using. In order to prevent this from happening, going with natural, un-dyed, un-scented, chemical free options are your best bet. Diaper rashes occur less frequently with cloth diapered babies than disposable diapered babies, and using a natural, homemade laundry detergent is way better for sensitive skin than store-bought baby detergents.
Protect Those Tushies!
Lastly, and this one is big for me, protect those tushies! I’m religious about putting diaper cream and powder on my baby’s bottoms with each diaper change. Not only does this create a barrier between their skin and irritants, but it nourishes their skin at the same time. I’ve had enough nasty diaper rashes that make miserable babies and a sad mama to know better than to skip this part of our diapering routine.
Treating Diaper Rash Or Yeast Rash
So, if you’ve done your part in preventing your little one from getting a diaper rash, and they still get one, there are some things you can do to help it get better quickly—naturally of course.
Air Out
One of the best things you can do is to take those diapers off (cloth and disposables) and let your baby’s bottom get some clean, fresh air and dry out. Let them take a nap without a diaper. Just cover your mattress with something that can be washed. Let them run around the house diaper-less for 30 minutes and clean up any accidents that do occur. This is easier if you don’t have carpet. If it’s warm outside, take them out and expose their bums to the sun! Vitamin D is a good thing!!
Soothe Skin
When a child has any sort of diaper rash, their bottom hurts. Soothe their skin by putting something on their bottom that will reduce friction against their diaper (as in herbal baby powder) and at the same time allow their skin to breath and heal.
Also, use products that are 100% natural and don’t have any medicines or chemicals in them which can further harm or burn the skin. There are plenty of products that contain herbs and minerals like zinc that protect and allow damaged skin to repair itself. These sorts of things can make a world of difference in your baby’s comfort.
Switch Gears
If your child has a red rash that won’t go away with the above tactics, then consider that it could be a yeast rash. Regular treatment for a diaper rash rarely works if the rash is a yeast rash. You’ll need something that is geared towards yeast.
There are over-the-counter anti-fungal medications that may help, but I wouldn’t recommend them as they can promote resistance. This can then lead to the yeast coming back with a vengeance if they’re used too much. Plus, typical anti-fungal medications are metabolized by the liver—even topical medications, which can bog down your little one’s liver and cause problems of its own. It’s best to go with something that will take care of yeast naturally.
Coconut oil has anti-fungal properties. Baking soda and diluted vinegar are anti-fungal. Anti-fungal herbs are also great to use in yeast creams and salves to help deal with yeast diaper rashes as well.
Don’t forget to enter your name and email below to get my favorite diaper rash cream recipe for FREE! It has served my family SO well!
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OMG. Where do I buy the cloth diapers in the picture of this post?!?! To die for!
I’m not sure Emily. This photo was a creative commons photo from flickr, and the owner says it was made out of an old t-shirt. I wonder where she got the pattern. They are cute though!
My babe had a rash that lasted two weeks before I began this treatment… so I was so happy to have found that GSE (grapefruit seed extract) works wonders. GSE*diluted* in distilled water for yeast rash. I used a squirt bottle and cotton pads to apply just before putting the diaper on.
I’ve heard some mamas rave about GSE, but then you have some who don’t like it. It does seem to work, but you have to be careful about the companies you buy it from. Some companies have been reported as to putting antibiotics and preservatives in their GSE, and some use less than preferred methods of extracting it which leads to toxins and chemicals in the product.
The company I used to buy mine from sent me a full report of their GSE and it looked fairly good, but some of the processing was a bummer so I decided to find some other things to use instead. But… I will say that it’s probably better than going for meds right off the bat. Probably. Thanks for sharing Becky. Many people will find that little tip very helpful, and I’m glad you have found a cheaper, more natural way of treating your baby’s rash.
Hello Meagan, so glad to come across your blog as a new mommy that likes to use natural alternatives. I’ve come to find out y baby has sensitive skin or possibly some eczema… He seems as of lately to break out with any creams (like Burt’s bees paste and powder that was previously working on him) and others like Vaseline. So far the only thing that helped his really bad rash that was almost yeast rash was to just let it air out and not use any crams or powder. However I do see very little redness on bottom after poos. I wanna put something on there to sooth but I’m afraid of making it worse. Is no cream and powder the best way to go or is there something full proof I can use I’m not hearing of ?
That’s a hard one Jaqueline as every person with skin sensitivities will respond differently. Some people do great with coconut oil only… others don’t. Some do fine with bentonite powder or even kaolin clay as a powder… others may not. If it were me and my baby, I think I’d test single oils on him first (olive, coconut, almond, etc.) and see what he does well with. From there you can infuse herbs that are supportive to the skin into that oil and put that on his bottom. Same with the powders. I hope that gives you some places to start! Best of luck, and I’m glad you’re here!
I just wanted to add something I learned! My son is 10 month old and got his first diaper rash. I ad some creams on hand from his baby shower…so of course I tried those out. Within a day the rash got worse. It was where his legs meet his body going right down to his butthole. I started doing all the above as advice from friends and what I found on the internet. It didn’t get worse but wasn’t getting better. A guy who works at whole foods was helping me pick out coconut oil for him when i explained my problem. He told me an old family trick he’s even used and it works. Make a cup of chamomile tea (I had Traditional medicinals brand….so he told me to use 4 tea bags for 1 cup). You’re supposed to let the tea bag soak for 20 min. After it cooled…I put it in a Tupperware for easy access. So his next diaper change, I rinsed him off in the sink (no wipes), pat him dry, took a wash cloth dipped in the chamomile tea (do not ring out) and put it all over his privates. You let it air dry, then some coconut oil, then diaper. By the next diaper change I noticed a slight difference. It wasn’t huge…but there was a difference! By the third diaper change…there was a huge difference! The next day it was ALMOST gone but was still lingering….so from what I had read from another mom…I decided to put breast milk on it. After I put the chamomile tea on him, I let him air dry, then poured some breast milk on his rashes areas and spread it around. I let that air dry….PUT NOTHING ELSE ON….put him down for the night
The next morning….the rash was non existent! So now our diaper routine consists of chamomile tea and air drying! He’s under the weather right now…so I’m guessing that was his culprit!
Great idea for clearing up a rash that creams aren’t helping. The chamomile is an anti-inflammatory and it also has some antifungal properties too in case baby has a yeast rash. Good to know it worked for you!! Thanks for sharing!
do you think this may work for a yeast rash
I suppose it could, Cristalle, as chamomile is anti-inflammatory, but you may want to also use something antifungal that addresses the yeast… maybe mix some tea tree essential oil in with your coconut oil and put that on after washing baby’s bottom with the chamomile tea. Hope that helps!
I want to to thank you for this good read!! I certainly loved every bit
of it. I’ve got you book-marked to look at new things you post…
Thank you Issac!
Meagan,
Another very common contributor to diaper rash is baby wipes. When I had my first I read the ingredient in the wipes and found out that not only are they very harsh toxic chemicals to the skin they actually cause neurological problems as well. MI is notorious for causing a gamut of skin problems.
http://www.naturalnews.com/041203_skin_allergies_toxic_chemicals_personal_care_products.html
I never used wipes for the children. I kept a small spray bottle of water with napkins or square clothe diapers for wiping and drying (not presewn clothe diapers like Fuzzi Bunz, which I did use for diapering) but the old fashioned ones that come in a pack at Walmart or Target. (ps. I used Fuzzi Bunz diapers and LOVED them).
I would spray their bottoms and wipe using Viva towels or the clothe diapers. For outings I always had extra plastic bags for the dirty towels or clothe diapers I used. I would also use the clothe diaper to change them on. (I used a changing pad but didn’t like the thought of that getting germs on it, so I put the clothe diaper under their bums before changing them on the pad).
For extra cleaning power you could add a few ingredient to the water in the sprayer. I love caprylic acid which is a great anti-fungal but also wonderful for natural cleaners (I use it in my ktichen cleaner). Another is a drop or two of tea tree oil. Lavender or myrrh work well also.
If you are using clothe diaper it is also important to note what detergent you are using. Making your own is the best option.
Thanks for all the great info, Meagan. Love reading your powerful posts. You are such a blessing to mommies everywhere.
Absolutely Denise! Baby wipes can be a big culprit. Thanks for sharing your tips with us too!
I had this problem. I’ve always used Huggies wipes but when I went to the store they were completely out! So I decided to go with Pampers. Absolutely horrible idea! After only a day of using them she developed a wicked bad rash and still has it. My mom got me some natural creams from the hospital that she works at and they seemed to work…however, like everything else I’ve tried, that only lasts a couple days. The rash never goes away. I’m going to try the coconut oil method and hopefully it heals it!
Keeping diapers off as much as possible with the coconut and essential oil combo works well. Best of luck Meagan!
I use water wipes. The only ingredients are 99.9% water and .1% fruit extract. They have never caused any rashes. But they have helped get rid of rashes. She doesn’t get them often so I guess what I’m doing is working 🙂 I’ve also read that when the urine mixes with poop that it cause ammonia (or something harsh like that) and that’s what causes some bad diaper rashes. I’ve noticed if I don’t know she has a dirty diaper and it sits she gets some pretty awful rashes.
Hello,I have a question my daughter is 8 going on 9 months old and she has been sick and is now on antibiotics but they make her poop all the time and I change her diapers frequently and we use organic diapers but she has developed a bad rash and cries every time I try to clean her it’s so bad. I want to look into the coconut oil solution,what kind should I buy?
If she’s on antibiotics and it’s making her poop more often and caused a rash… it could be diaper rash from all the poo, but it could also be yeast rash because antibiotics exacerbate yeast growth in the body (because it’s killing off all the good bacteria in the gut). Any, cold pressed organic coconut oil will work… not refined… the real stuff. Also, lavender and tea tree essential oils are okay for her age and help with yeast as well. I’d put this on her EVERY TIME you change her diaper. It would also be even better if you infused the coconut oil with crushed garlic first as garlic is a great anti-fungal. Here’s how to infuse an herb into oil. Hope this helps!!
I heard somewhere not to use garlic. Because garlic is very dangerous with prolonged contact with skin. It can burn very bad and cause severe burns over time. I don’t know about infusing it into an oil, maybe that would work, but I’d just like to warn about putting raw garlic on skin as it can cause a severe reaction and blisters. Yogurt is also a main cure for yeast infections as it counteracts the bad bacteria with good.
Yes Anne… you’re absolutely right. Raw garlic will burn and shouldn’t be used directly on skin for long periods of time… especially on babies. I didn’t mention using garlic oil in the post, only in one of the comments, but anytime you infuse an herbal oil, you should always strain the herbs out of it so there should be no garlic left in it. Then of course it’s best to test it on yourself or a patch of skin first before putting it on babies bottom. I love using garlic oil or salves on rashes though… it seems to work really well. I’ve not tried the yogurt, but it makes sense that it would work too. Thanks for your comment… it’s good to be reminded about why to be cautious and know what you’re doing first!
can coconut milk work for yeast rash?
I know coconut oil has natural anti-fungal properties, but I don’t know about the milk. I’ve never heard or read that anywhere before. I’m sure you’d want to avoid sweetened milks too if it does end up having some beneficial properties. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
I agree wholeheartedly with Meagan. Great advice!! If my baby had to take antibiotics I would definitely follow up with some antifungals and also probiotics. A safe natural antifungal for little ones is caprylic acid (derived from coconut). They sell it in gel caps. Just poke a pin into it and squirt it in their mouth, on your nipple (if breastfeeding) and also the diaper rash.
A really good probiotic safe for infants is RAW.
https://www.swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=raw+probiotics+kids
Amazon sells it too.
Blessings,
D
My son developed a horrible fungus rash on in his private area. He would scratch so much it would cause cuts and open wounds…. This went on for about a month. Well today I tried coconut oil and lavender eo…. I let him run around naked for about an hour….. That mixture really worked his wounds are drying out and I’m one happy mama!!
Our little gets yeast rashes from the smallest things from changing the wash or what i wash with i cloth diaper and i had to change how wash them do to only having cold water and anytime we change from cloth to disposable back to cloth we use hydrocortisone on every rash on her bottem it works great. When i took her for a check up i had already tried everything i could think of to get ride of the rash and wouldnt go away so i asked then she said that it was yeast and disnt tell me how to treat really lol
Hummm, hydrocortisone is a steriod, and I usually try to stay away from anything like that right off the bat. Hopefully this post will help you have a natural plan on working with yeast infections in the future. Good luck!
Help me understand why well-tested and trusted medications like hydrocortisone and anti-fungals are the devil, yet you feel no concern applying “natural” untested products like GSE or potent oils that can easily lead to hypersenstivity reactions, such as tea tree oil or lavender, to an infants sensitive perineal rash?
You are all irresponsible nitwits. I say that with love.
Thank you for being a concerned parent and for giving your time and energy to care for the “irresponsible nitwits” children when we need you… which is not as often as you might think.
First off, I don’t think I can help you understand because my experience with individuals like you in the past shows that you’re close-minded and over-educated by a product funded, for-profit system that in many ways falls short. However, if you want me to help you understand, I’ll try.
Nowhere in this post did I say that hydrocortisone and anti-fungals are “the devil”. If fact, I never mentioned hydrocortisone at all in this post, but only in response to a readers comment… and at that, I only said I wouldn’t “start” with it before trying something natural first. I did mention anti-fungals, but only that yeast can become resistant to them if they’re not used correctly and that they can be damaging to the liver if used too much. Both statements are true… feel free to double check.
I also never made mention of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) in the post… again in response to a comment, and my response was that I’m not a fan of it. You can read more about why I don’t care for this product in this post.
Further more, my mention of using “potent oils” like tea tree and lavender were again in response to a comment. Those oils are great oils with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, and yes, they would work well for these types of rashes. In fact, they are two of the most-studied, least-sensitizing oils there are. Lavender is so mild that it can be used directly on the skin without being diluted. I will say that I ALWAYS recommend diluting EOs no matter how “safe” they are though. I should also say that some aromatherapists feel it’s best to wait until children are over 2 years old to use EOs on them while others feel that if you do use them at an earlier age, they need to be diluted properly (.25% dilution). If you’re interested in my views pertaining to essential oil safety, I wrote a post on it which you can find here.
Now I’d like to address what you said about medications being “well-tested” and “trusted.”
I don’t think it’s very wise to make blanket statements like that as it’s common knowledge that many of the “well-tested” FDA approved medications are not tested well enough. Many of these medications end up being pulled from the market but not before their side effects have done more harm than originally anticipated. In fact, the testing done on new medication is done by the company selling them. Doesn’t that sound like there could be a conflict of interest in that?
This and many other reasons is what leads a discerning parent to research and take charge of their family’s well-being instead of blindly handing them over to a generic, and even possibly, financially-charged entity such as modern day drug companies.
I understand that pediatricians devote their education and much of their lives in caring for children, however, it’s not fair to insult those of us who care enough to go the extra mile for our own families and share what we have learned. I say that in love and respect of course. 😉
Well said Meagan! Thank you for standing up to the “big pharma” ‘s puppets. As a registered nurse we both know what happens with medications testing and how their side effects put more people in hospitals than their original symptoms.
Yes… unfortunately many meds are pushed through without proper testing and even with proper testing in some cases. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the way things are. Thanks for being a voice as well!
I ended up being prescribed a “FDA approved” medication a few years ago and ended up on a ventilator for a week because it triggered severe depression and I overdosed. Needless to say about a week after discharge the medication was reevaluated and a warning against prescribing to people with mental illness was added. There were rumors that a person even died. Medications are not tested nearly enough.. which is why I stopped participating in drug studies when I turned 18
I’m sorry for your experience, Michael. It is unfortunate that we continue to see this time and time again as new drugs are regularly being created and pushed through drug approval steps so quickly. I’m personally very grateful for many of the medications we have available to us (when they are needed), but it’s no wonder more and more people are turing away from them and back towards natural products for wellness support with reports like these.
Hi Megan, just a quick question. Do you apply the coconut oil directly on the rash? Does it need to be diluted at all? I think my daughter has a yeast rash and would like to treat it with something natural. Thanks!!
You can apply it directly. If you’re mixing EOs into the coconut oil, just make sure you don’t make it too strong, then apply it directly to the rash.
Can it be coconut oil with extra virgin olive oil that says for a cooking alternative but is 100% organic?
I think it would be better if it were straight coconut oil and not something that’s mixed with another oil. I’ve never come across any info that said olive oil was beneficial for fungal issues.
My 13 month old pooped the other day and I watched him do it and I changed him once I knew he was done. When I changed him he was really red and cried, more like screamed, when I wiped him. (I have always used Huggies natural care since the day we came home from hospital) The rash stayed the same the remainder of the evening even though I loaded the butt paste on (which usually works asap) The next morning it made some improvement and today its just one red dot on his buttcheek and a couple little red dots around his anus. Instead of the cream I put coconut oil on before bed so we will see what that does. Any other suggestions? Or anything else this could be? (He only cried that first night when I would wipe him after pooping) he does not seemed bothered by it anymore.
Thanks for your comment Kayla. Baby poop and diaper rashes are a strange thing. Sometimes, depending upon what baby has eaten, if they’re teething, or even if they’re getting sick, poo can be really acidic and burn their bottoms… even when it’s only been there for a short while. This is most likely what’s happened. I know I’ve dealt with the same thing in the past with my babies.
Wiping him will hurt no matter what you use… although I honestly believe that cloth wipes and a natural wipe solution can be a bit softer and help soothe the area as well as clean. Changing up what you put on his rash is totally fine too. A basic cream is great, but I prefer to use one that’s infused with herbs because not only does it protect the area from further irritation, the herbs can help the skin repair itself and decrease inflammation in that area. Coconut oil is a great thing to put on rashes as is. Keep up what you’re doing as it will probably go away soon. Other than that, my suggestion would be to coat him in diaper cream with each diaper change so he always has a coating of it on his bum. Maybe next time it will keep the poo from direct contact with his skin and prevent the burn all together. Hope that helps!
I just came across your blog and it has been so soothing for me as a mom dealing with the first and only diaper/yeast rash my daughter has ever had and she is eleven months old. Hers came up from acidic poop from teething with scalded her almost immediately. I am religious about her diapers and cream too but this has been a horrible and heartbreaking experience. I am also wanting more and more natural and organic lifestyle changes. I am just learning and appreciate your information. It’s nice to know that if this ever happens again I can try the natural approach instead of being everything at pharmacy.
I’m so glad you’ve found it helpful, Cara! Best of luck with your little one. It seems there’s always something to learn about raising children naturally!
My nine month old has developed a diaper rashad that is not healing desipte my continued use of diaper rashad creams so I have come to the conclusion that she mayo have a yeast diaper rash. I have not ever used any of the coconut oil and am not sure where to find the items and exactly how to use them. Help.
I’m so sorry your little one has a rash Jasmane. That’s such a bummer… I know, I’ve been there! There are a lot of remedies for yeast rashes. Some things work for different people so my best advice is to start with one thing and work from there. The simplest thing is to purchase some organic coconut oil, lavender essential oil, and tea tree essential oil and take 1 TBSP of coconut oil with 2 drops of lavender EO and 2 drops of tea tree EO, mix well, and apply that to her bottom repeatedly throughout the day. It’s also good to take some pau d arco bark and make a tea with it and use that to wash her bottom instead of baby wipes or anything with soap. If you can’t find the pau d arco you can use calendula too. Let her bottom air dry, put the coconut oil/EO mix on, then her diaper. If that doesn’t work, Motherlove makes a great diaper rash/thrush salve that has anti-fungal herbs in it that can help. Hope this helps you a bit and good luck!
Hey there! So happy I found this, my baby is one month old and having frequent watery poops, also deleoped a rash a few days agkwhich cleared up to come little white blisters along her bum crack, I was keeping it dry (maybe too dry?) with zinc powder and Weleda zinc diaper care cream (not specifically “rash” cream)… I’ve been putting calendula oil straight onto it now… and it seems the same. Any insight? For the rash and the water poo?
Hi, Chloe. Thanks for your comment! I’m sorry about your little one’s troubles. My first piece of advice would be to look up or ask your pediatrician what’s normal for baby poo in a one month old. It will depend on whether she’s breastfed or formula fed, and seeing how their little bodies are trying to get accustomed to things in our environment, their poo can change frequently. Next, I’d look into what you’re eating if your nursing her as that can transfer through to her food and cause changes in her poo. Some foods are more irritating to baby’s gut than others. You’d need to cut back or remove those from your diet. As for the rash or blisters… it’s hard to say what’s best for that as I can’t see it. Calendula oil is a great antimicrocial product (depending on how it was made, stored, and how old it is, of course) so that should be good. I do recommend a good zinc cream to create a barrier against her skin, though, especially if the water poos are frequent. It may be helpful to go through the following routine each time you feed her. First, take her diaper off and clean her well, leave her diaper off while you feed her so her bottom can get some air, then put some sort of herbal zinc cream on her bottom (covering her whole bottom) before replacing her diaper and letting her sleep. You can find herbal diaper creams on Etsy or online in other places. Matys makes one and so does Motherlove. These are both excellent! Hope this helps, mama, and enjoy your little one!
I have a month old son and he has really dry skin on his forehead and nose. What would be a good natural product to use?? I do know some about oils and have used them before with my four year old daughter but it can be alittle overwhelming when your new to it and don`t know awhole lot.
A great oil for babies is plain jojoba oil as it’s very close to the oil our bodies produce, and it’s not an oil known to cause allergic reactions in people. You could always rub a small amount directly on him or put it in his bath water so it can get all over his skin. Hope that helps Virginia, and thanks for the comment!
Hi all, please please help me and my poor little peanut. We are so frustrated! My daughter was taking antibiotics for double ear infections and has had a horrible reaction to the antibiotics. I am a naturalist in every aspect of life and hate that she had to be on antibiotics but it was necessary. She stopped the antibiotics 3 days ago and developed a bad diaper rash from lots of watery, frequent stools. We usually cloth diaper but have been using disposables since the rash so we could apply cream to protect her sad looking bottom. We have tried everything natural suggested but still have not seen any positives results?? She has open areas that seem stable and healing slowly but the red area is slowly expanding . We had tried a triple cream as a last result that the dr. Suggested. Again very sad to use the chemicals that we avoid at all costs. We had stopped using the suggested cream because we had thought maybe it was making it look worse and thought maybe she was sensitive to the chemicals. So we took the day to use only water and coconut oil to smooth and calm the area, and again the redness has extended outwards??? So sad and frustrated! Please help!!!
If it were me Nicole, I’d give your little one probiotic powder in her mouth… to help replenish the gut after the antibiotics. As far as the rash goes, I’d infuse some coconut oil with crushed garlic. After 30-60 minutes of low heat, strain the garlic and add in a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil to the mix and use that on her bottom at every diaper change. Plus the more you can let her go without the diaper the better. I don’t think that will hurt her cloth diapers either, but you may wanna check on that to be sure. You could also use an all-purpose healing salve as well to help encourage the skin to heal. If that doesn’t work, an all natural diaper cream with zinc in it may help. Best of luck!
Hello. I am going to try your recommendation in a comment to use coconut oil, lavender and tea tree oil for my son’s yeast rash. I have been using an anti fungal cream recommended by a pharmacist but just started today. I now understand how harmful it can be to NY 7 month old. I also have some other concerns. My son has been vomiting for the past 4 days usually after bottles. Now he has developed this yeast rash 2 days ago. He also refuses to eat any baby food and isn’t drinking hardly any bottles. Any advice to if this may all be connected and could be something more severe?? I am a very worried first time mom. What diapers and wipes do you recommend changing to on a budget. I usually use huggies little movers and pampers wipes. I would like to switch to a healthier type of wipes and diapeds. Thankyou
Hi Eva… you’re right… it’s tough being a mom, especially a first time mom. Everything is new and everything is a big concern.
First off, concerning diapers and wipes, I’ve used cloth and disposables off and on with all of my kids, and cloth is by far the cheapest route if you’re committed to it. There are some cloth diapering blogs that are great… they can walk you through all you need to know as well as the many different kinds. My favorite has been All About Cloth Diapers. As for disposables, I hated spending a lot of money for something my kid was going to poo or pee in, but we started with Pampers Swaddles for newborns then switched to Luvs and sometimes the cheaper store-brands (if they worked well). There are also eco-friendly disposable diapers if you’re interested in that. Huggies has a brand as does Seventh Generation and The Honest Company. Really it’s based on what your needs are, but cloth is the ultimate way to go if you want cheaper and healthier. As for disposable wipes, look for something that’s unscented or use homemade disposable wipes. They’re great and easy to make… and cheap!
As for the yeast rash, the coconut oil with lavender & tea tree can be very helpful, but so can letting your little man go without a diaper and be out in the sun. All of those things can help with yeast.
As far as the other issues he’s having (vomiting after bottles and not eating/drinking well), did you bring that up to your doctor? If so, what did he say? I’m not a doctor… only an RN, and I can’t diagnose anything or give you medical advice. I can only speak to you as a mom and what I’d do if it were my child. The biggest thing I’d watch for if my child were having those symptoms (especially a 7 mo. old) is how many poo and pee diapers he’s having a day. That will tell you if he’s getting enough nutrition. I’d also watch his behavior as well. If anything changed, I’d go see that doctor. I’d try to give him whatever food or liquids he’d take in the meantime. I’d also look into any allergies or sensitivities he may be having to his formula (I’m assuming you’re referring to formula since you mentioned bottles) and switch him to a homemade formula or something for sensitive tummies. I’d look into thrush in his mouth which is also yeast as that could make his mouth sore and keep him from eating or drinking. And of course if anything changes definitely see your doctor to get his advice. He’s there to work with you and help you.
I hope this helps you. You’re doing a great job.
Hi Megan,
The diaper cream and powder you link to in this article are not available in your etsy site. It’s this something you’ll be making available again, or have you shared recipes anywhere? Expecting my first in November 🙂
I don’t sell them anymore Ashley, but I’m working on a project that will have some of my recipes so stay tuned. Be sure you’re signed up to my Letters to Natural Mamas emails to be notified!
My daughter just turned four months old on the eighteenth. This past Saturday I was at work and when I got home she had a rash. For the first few days I let her air out and used rash creams. They didn’t seem to be working, and actually made it look worse so I looked up natural remedies. I tried squirting breast milk on the rash one day, which didn’t make it worse, but it didn’t make it better either. So I starte using virgin coconut oil today, and have still been letting her air out, but it still doesn’t seem to be helping. I need advice as a first time mommy please
It could be a yeast rash if the regular diaper rash creams aren’t working Morgan. I’d infuse garlic and calendula into your coconut oil, strain it, then add in a drop or two of lavender and tea tree EO and apply that to her bottom. All of those ingredients are anti-fungal. That with air and sunlight should hopefully help. Hope that works for you, and thanks for your comment!
I truly appreciate ur page,my has red diaper rash nd it’s breaking my heart,bt reading thru ur page i feel relieved now,i would try d coconut oil nd add mashed garlic 2 it,thanks alot
Hope it helps you Wealth! My little one is in the exact same position right now, and I’m using the GOOT ointment from my Ultimate Guide to Making Herbal Salves guide. Thanks for your comment!
My little has had a bit of a rash since 2 or 3 weeks old. My midwife told me it looked like a yeast rash and to put powder probiotics (specially for babies)on it and also to give them to him in his mouth. It helps and the rash goes away but when I stop it comes back. It doesn’t spread, just comes back. Do you have any suggestions to keep it away?
Hmm… the probiotic powder is a good idea, but maybe try some other things in addition to it since that’s not completely doing it on it’s own.
I think giving baby probiotic powder in their mouth is a good idea. I did that… putting a little bit of powder in baby’s mouth after each nursing period to spread it out during the day. I also gave them some antifungal herbs in the form of tea throughout the day… just a dropperful regularly during the day when possible. As far as their bottoms, I made a diaper rash cream that was infused with antifungal herbs and put that on their bottom along with an antifungal baby powder. That has always done the trick for me. I also have a recipe for GOOT ointment in my Ultimate Salve guide… you can add antifungal EOs to it (like lavender and tea tree essential oil) to help with that. That has also worked well for us if I think one of my little ones has had a yeast rash. Letting their bottoms get as much air and sunlight as possible can help. Switching from cloth to disposable for a bit and really cleaning their cloth diapers well is a must. Those are some extra tips… I hope they help you Wendy!
Thank you for this post. My 16 month old daughter has had a terrible diaper rash for four months … yes, you heard that right, FOUR MONTHS. I am hurt for her. My pediatrician told me that it is an acid burn from something she is allergic to. It is only in the area where her urine touches, not where her poop would be. I have tried switching disposable diapers and using cloth diapers. I was bathing her in baking soda, but now she refuses to sit in the tub. I now try to splash her diaper area with sea salt water every day, and we visit the beach a couple of times per week to try to help (she has severe eczema, also.)She was exclusively nursed until she was about 11 months, and now she eats a few vegetables and a couple of fruits. She still nurses about four times/day, and other than that, drinks only water. I pump a bottle once/day and add a probiotic to my breastmilk. She has never been on an antibiotic, or any other medicine, for that matter. I have done allergy testing on her, and we know that she would have an immediate reaction to dairy, eggs, and peanuts. Because of one of my other children having severe delayed reaction allergies, I have decided to get her tested also. I’m awaiting these results. My sister made a salve of baking soda, arrowroot powder, and coconut oil. I applied that, and about 30 seconds later, she was screaming hysterically. I had to wash it off of her. I am so discouraged that I cannot seem to help her. She is my sixth little one, and I’ve never run into this before. Anybody experienced anything like this? Any advice??
I’m so sorry for you and your little one Alison. I’m sure her allergies and eczema make things worse for her as that tends to be the case among kids with those issues. Anyway, as far as what advice I can offer, I’d cut out using baking soda on her if it’s not helped at this point. It could be making it sting since it’s so alkaline. I’d also go back to nursing only for a week or two since you know she’s not allergic to breastmilk and then slowly add the gentle veggies back in that aren’t acidic. Next I’d use an all-purpose salve with gentle healing herbs in it like calendula, lavender, st. john’s wort, and comfrey on her with every diaper change. As far as bathing goes, maybe go with water only for a bit… no soap, salt, or baking soda. I’d see how that goes and see if you notice improvement. If not, I’d specifically ask your pediatrician if it could be a yeast infection instead of a plain rash and move forward from there. Best of luck mama!!
My daughter has a yeast infection in her vagina. Is it safe to apply coconut oil directly on it?
Yes, Ronald. You would apply coconut oil or any antifungal ointment directly to the area. Obviously, for over-the-counter or prescription antifungal ointments, you’d want a doctors advice, but when it comes to coconut and herbal ointments, they’re safe to place directly on the area as long as the child has no allergies to what’s being used. You can test a small area of it on the underside of her wrist to see if any topical reactions would occur.
Hi.
So glad I found your site. My 16 month old was on antibiotics 3 weeks ago for an ear infection. I noticed a week after stopping the antibiotics that she had a rash around her vaginal area and on her skin folds. I used all rash methods and used nystatin cream and nothing has worked. So now I think it’s a yeast rash. We are in the middle of trying to potty train and she spends almost all day bare bottom, but no change. I put organic coconut oil on her tonight before putting her diaper. So I’m hoping that will work, but if it doesn’t do you have any suggestions?
Thank you
I’d personally add in probiotics to her diet (probiotic powder added to foods), use an arrowroot based powder (not cornstarch as it encourages yeast growth) in her skin folds to keep her dry when wearing a diaper at night, and use an herbal salve infused with calendula, sage, black walnut, and pau d arco for the rash. Those are herbs with antifungal properties, so if you use it constantly during the day along with the probiotics and keeping her dry, you should see some improvement. Best of luck!!
My daughter has a rash right now that I’m trying to get rid of with creams but it’s not working as well as it used to so I’m wondering if it’s a yeast rash. I have some coconut oil already but before I use it I’d like to know, if it is a regular diaper rash and I use coconut oil, will that make it worse?
Not that I know of Jennifer. Have you read somewhere that coconut oil will make diaper rashes worse? I feel like a lot of moms use coconut oil all the time on their babies. Anyway, if you’re working to get rid of the diaper rash and nothing is helping, you’re right in thinking it could be a yeast rash instead. Personally, coconut oil alone has never helped my babies with yeast rashes. I’ve needed to add lavender and tea tree essential oils to it, and it’s even better when infusing anti-fungal herbs like pau d’arco, sage, and olive leaf into the oil first. Hope that helps!
Hi Meagan,
My daughter had loose BM after her 15th month shot, and came home from daycare with a diaper rash front and back. I normally wash her with water and air dry and apply maximum strength of butt paste which usually works great, and it did take care of her rash in the front. However, she has this bright red strip rash near her anus that was bleeding and looked really sore ( I felt like her skin was stripped from her- I’m just heartbroken for her!!!) that has not healed since 4 or 5 days ago. I made her sleep on her tummy butt naked with cream overnight, gave her a bath with a little baking soda, air dry some more and it does look a little better and smaller but I feel like I still have to battle with this. What should I do next? I’m desperate… Where can buy this tea tree or lavender oils? I’m so desperate. My heart is just aching for my little I can barely sleep! Please help! And thank you!
You could be dealing with yeast Seth. Often times, a bright red rash can indicate yeast. I’d keep doing what you’re doing but add in antifungal herbs and oils. I get my essential oils from Eden’s Garden or Plant Therapy. Both can be purchased from their websites or via Amazon. You can take coconut oil and infuse herbs like sage, pau d’arco, and calendula in it. Then strain the herbs out and add in the essential oils to create a soft ointment to apply to baby’s bottom at every diaper change. Hope that helps!
Hi Meagan,
My son is only 5 weeks old. Since about 2-3 weeks he has had a small dotted red ring right around his anus. We breast feed and formula feed him, probably a good 50:50 ratio. I tried very hard to breast feed but didn’t have a lot of success (I still pump as much as I can but only produce maybe one feeding a day) We have donor breast milk from a family friend, thank goodness. I have heard that the red ring could be yeast or an allergy to something in his formula. Our pediatrician perscribed him an anti-fungal cream that we have been applying twice daily for about a week now, and the rash hasn’t gotten better . We also had him on Enfamil Gentle-ease and it still didn’t get better. I just bought some Organic Coconut Oil tonight after reading this post that I am going to try, but do you know what the cause of something like this could be? I’m at a loss and just want to fix the problem 🙁 He doesn’t seem to be bothered by the small rash at all, but I am! Please help.
I’m sorry Reagan… I don’t have any idea what it could be. If it’s not responding to the prescription and it doesn’t respond to the coconut oil, maybe you could leave it alone and see if it goes away on its own. Have you thought about stopping the formula you’ve been using and trying homemade formula or an organic formula for a bit to see if it goes away then? If it did, it could indicate that it’s something in the formula he’s eating.
Hi dear ,
My son is 8 month old .he is suffering from yeast rash from past 4 months. He was already into antibiotics .after the course the infection was gone. Now again he got it. I tried with coconut oil I am not seeing any improvements also I see a puss ? Can you please help me
If it were me Neha, I would infuse the coconut oil with some antifungal herbs like pau d’arco, sage, calendula, etc. and add in lavender and tea tree essential oils to it and try that for a change. Hope that helps!
I have some disagreement with some of this. If it’s a yeast rash it doesn’t behave at all like a normal diaper rash. Sunlight, air, constant diaper changes, nothing helped. My little girl had it so bad she was blistered severely all over her bottom as if she had been burned and everything made it worse. She itched and cried for days on end resulting in no sleep for anyone, the poor thing. And I was VERY diligent on keeping her clean and dry. Finally we went to the doctor and had to get a prescription for nystatin. After the first application it settled down! Anything else I applied burned her, so this was a huge relief for all! And after weeks and weeks of applying that it finally went away. I found out more than a year later that the holistic baby powder I was using (a.k.a plain old corn starch) is prime yeast food. Live and learn. What a mess :(. My point is that yeast rashes are completely different creatures and don’t always come about the same way regular rashes do, and can’t always be cured the same way either.
You are so very right Jeannie! They are totally different creatures, and, from my experience with my own kids, they can present differently each time too (as in, not all yeast rashes are alike). Sometimes my kids have had mild yeast rashes that cleared up with our yeast cream and baby powder, but other times, I had to work really hard at getting them to go away naturally. And yes, I learned early on, when I made and sold baby skin care products in my Etsy shop, to not make my baby powder with corn starch because it feeds yeast rashes. I’ve always used a combination of other powders and never had a problem. If we get one of those terrible yeast rashes where their skin peels and bleeds, I don’t use cream because it hurts. I rinse them off with plain water, gently pat them dry or let them air dry, sometimes spray herbal tea on their bottom that has strong anti-fungal herbs in it, then dust their bottoms with baby powder that has no corn starch in it. Once their skin heals a bit we can go back to our yeast diaper cream and that usually clears it up, but if it doesn’t, then meds may be the only option. I would never want a mama to feel like she was wrong for choosing meds. If you’ve done all you know to do naturally, and it’s not working, definitely get meds. Next time may be different and natural remedies may work. Thanks for sharing your story with us Jeannie.
I need help my baby has yeast infection for 1 month. We have tried everything. Can you help with cheap fix. Ty
I’m so sorry for you and your little one Carol. I’ve suggested some things to try in the post. If those things don’t improve your little one’s rash and you can’t find any diaper creams that use anti-fungal herbs online, I’d suggest going to the doctor for help.
Hello. Here is what we are experiencing and I would love to have some advice! My 9 month old girl has her 1st periarea rash. She has had it now for 2 1/2weeks. We started with plain ol desitin cream then went to the max strength desitin. No luck. We started taking off her diaper and airing her out and changing every 2-3hrs. she began having loose stools which made the rash worse. It is very red, raised and spreading up her legs and down to her buttocks. Ive had her to the doctor who advised me to apply a thicker coat of desitin and use a barrier in diaper like vaseline. no luck. We have tried nystatin powder and cream, desonide and calmoseptine. Nothing has helped. Now the rash is starting to bleed ands diaper changes are very painful for her. My heart is hurting for her and its time we try some natural remedies. I am picking up some coconut oil today any other recommendations. We do not use wipes. We use a spray bottle and warm water. we do use diapers and she hasn’t had any issues with them at all. I think her rash is caused by new solids that were introduced but I can’t seem to stop it!! please help!
I’m so sorry Heather. I know what this is like as I’ve experienced rashes like this before in the past. It sounds like a yeast rash instead of a diaper rash. If it were me, I’d give her as much diaper-free time as possible when you can, I’d cover her bottom in a good anti-fungal, skin healing salve (you have several herbal options here… calendula, pau d arco, black walnut, chaparral, sage – definitely comfrey to help the skin structure) followed by a good herbal baby powder (no cornstarch – it feeds yeast). Perhaps you can cut back on the kind of food she’s eating and go back to some gentle foods before slowly reintroducing the newer ones again. Maybe even oral probiotics to help her tummy. I hope these suggestions help mama!
Hi, I’m wondering, I don’t do baby powder but you mentioned baking powder can help with yeast rash… would I just put straight up baking soda on her bum? Or mix it with anything? I’m not sure it’s a yeast rash yet or not, it doesn’t look like the photos, but it’s raw skin that left a little blood, and I want to nip this thing in the.. bum! Thanks!
Not baking powder… baking soda, and I’m referring to yeast rashes only as baking soda is alkaline and yeast isn’t particularly fond of that kind of environment. What you do is mix baking soda with water and using a cotton ball, swab that on their bottom. You can also heavily dilute vinegar and do the same thing. I’ve not had the best success with that personally as I normally use herbal creams for yeast rashes, but it can help. I share a recipe for GOOT in my herbal salve ultimate guide that works amazingly well for yeast rashes among other things. I love that stuff and always have some made up.
I’m surprised you said “They don’t have to get going on solids right at 4 months. ” as it’s recommended no sooner than 6 months but I did enjoy the article! What is your opinion on Aquafor and something that would be a comparable replacement (especially as a night time barrier from pee & poop)? Thanks
Back when I had my first baby… almost 8 years ago… doctors were recommending that you start your baby on solids (mostly cereals) at 4 months and working your way into fruits or veggies after that. After my first two kids, and a lot of reading on nutrition for babies, I stopped cereal grains altogether and didn’t start them on any solids until they were acting like they wanted them which was normally between 6-8 months depending on the child. Anyway, that’s why I said that. As for Aquafor, I don’t know anything about that product as I never used it, but if you’re looking for a good barrier to put on their bottom at night that won’t absorb into the skin quickly but will, instead, create more of a coating on their bottom, I’d make a homemade bottom balm (you can learn more about the differences in salves and balms here) to put on. That’s what I’d do if it were me.
Is this thread still open?
If so…
My son has thrush in his mouth and a yeast infection on his bottom. He also may have a diaper rash but, I cannot tell the difference. His butthole is bright red and it expands outward with the redness… he also has a small rash at the top of his butt crack. I can tell it hurts him. He screams in pain every time he is changed, wiped, put cream on. The doctor gave us a cream for the yeast infection (apply on red bumps) but now his butthole is red and suffering. We were using Desitin and Budreaux Butt Paste…. what can we use to help with his pain and clear this up?
We took his diaper off and are letting him air it out with a cloth over him to catch urine but, he is whimpering even in his sleep…
Help!
Hi Sarah! I’m sorry for your trouble! I have some suggestions for things you can do for your little guy at the bottom of the post. Personally, I’ve found that managing yeast naturally is best approached internally and externally. I like to give my little guys a teaspoon of marshmallow root and calendula infusion every two hours or so throughout the day to help internally. I just suck it up in a medicine dropper and squirt it in their mouths. Then I do the powder and creams or salves externally. Hope that helps!
My daughter had a really bad diaper rash and yeast infection I could not get rid off. She was prescribed Lotrimin which did nothing. I tried my own liniment and it worked like magic. I also learned about wipes toxicity in the meantime… so this natural preparation is my way to go now. I share the recipe with you. https://chouxnco.com/2016/05/19/soft-like-a-french-babys-bottom-make-your-own-liniment-lotion/
Thank you so much for sharing this, Eugénie! I’m definitely going to try this if my little man develops a yeast rash at some point. I love my herbs, but I also like finding other remedies that work well too. Thank you! I’m loving reading your blog too! I’m obsessed with all things French food right now. I’m trying to merge healthy cooking with saving time and not getting fat too! Wish me luck!
We have a newly adopted 13 month old daughter and we are using cloth diapers and plastic pants on her 24/7 for her wetting.She gets diaper rash occaisionaly and i use desitin on her when i change her.along with the baby powder.Some times after she wets i am not always able to change her right away as i am busy doing other things and thats when the irratation starts.I was her cloth diapers and the rubberpants in dreft detergent and they come out soft and nice smelling.At bedtime,i rub the desitin on her ,then apply the baby powder,then put a diaper doubler in the diapers and then pin them on her.The rubberpants fit blousy over the diapers,so air can get in,but sometimes she gets the diaper rash any way.It was especially bad last month when we baptized and christened her at mass.We did the traditional,white baptism/christening gown and bonnet on her with the lace anklets and white shoes and i even got new cloth diapers and a pair of new rubberpants for her to wear under the gown and during the ceremony she wet a couple of times and it wasnt untill we got home a while later that i could change her and she was broken out in a rash.
You may need to either change her more frequently, use a vegan wax salve (from my understanding, vegan waxes are cloth diaper safe) on her before you powder her to create a better barrier between her skin and the pee than Desitin is doing, or switch to a different type of cloth diaper cover than the plastic ones as they don’t breathe well. I’ve heard great things about wool covers! Best of luck with your new little one, mama!! Hope this helps.
We have a newly adopted 14 year old daughter whom we have had for 3 months now and we have her in cloth diapers and rubberpants 24/7 due to her day time wetting and her bedwetting. During the day time she tells me when she is wet so i change her diapers right away and use diaper rash ointment on her with baby powder before i put the fresh diapers on her. Her rubberpants are adult size and fit her blousy. At bed time, i put the diaper rash ointment on fairly thick so as to last all night. So far we have been lucky that she hasnt had a major case of diaper rash!
To Brenda D.- You are lucky! We adopted our daughter from foster care at age 15,7 months ago and we also are using the cloth diapers and rubberpants on her 24/7 for her wetting issues.She gets diaper rash quite frequently even tho i change her right away after she wets.I wash her cloth diapers in Dreft detergent and use Balmex and babypowder on her when i change her.Her rubberpants are adult size a fit blousy over her diapers so as to let some air in.Her pediatricion told me her skin is sensitive and thats why she gets the diaper rash every so often.
Do you know if antibiotics that my baby girl (at 10 months) had 3 months ago could trigger a nasty diaper rash? I am wondering if I should replenish her system with probiotics.
She has had a bad red rash for a month now. I had it tested after a week of its appearance and it wasn’t fungal. I leave her open for hours together; I have tried a mild steroid base cream that was prescribed by different doctors, but, I really don’t wish to use such stuff any more. I have tried multiple types and brands of diapers and cloth nappies – not much luck! If the rash clears up one night, shows up again the day after. I started using 100% coconut oil yesterday and I wish I see a difference tomorrow morning (leaving her open for the night without any nappy or a disposable diaper).
I just came across your blog and would try infusing garlic into it. Thank you!
Do you think giving her probiotic powder might help?
Also, what foods (veggies/ fruits) could cause acidic poop? I have given her pretty much everything (vegetarian) by now except maybe pineapple and cow’s milk. The vegetables I use in rotation in her porridge (rice/ semolina/ lentil) – pumpkin, bottle gourd, carrot, tomato, beans, beetroot, potato, coriander.
Rashes, particularly yeast rashes, are a common side effect of antibiotics. It’s always a good idea to give probiotics to anyone taking antibiotics (before, during, and after) to help offset the chance that a yeast rash or infection happens. If you’re using products and remedies for a regular rash and nothing is working, it won’t hurt to try using remedies as if it were a yeast rash as well as giving her probiotic powder too. The garlic oil as well as oils infused with other antifungal herbs can help. Coconut oil with tea tree and lavender essential oils can help. And then of course, internal antifungals (calendula is safe for babies) and probiotic powders can be used. As far as foods go, different foods can make baby’s poo acidic. It’s really their bodies adjusting to new foods. However, once their bodies adjust, they shouldn’t have trouble with the food any longer unless something else is going on like a food sensitivity. Hope this helps some!
Meagan, I wish I stumbled upon your article earlier. My daughter (13 months) has had a bad bum rash (I think it is a yeast rash) for 4 weeks now. Doctor first prescribed a cream with hydrocortisone (I had no idea there were natural remedies for these things!). We used it for 2 weeks and it didn’t work. Then she switched us to Fuciden cream, which has antibiotics in it. Still hasn’t gone away yet. She is sending us to see a dermatologist tomorrow because she is out of ideas. It has been very frustrating seeing my daughter in pain. We’ve been doing everything including using all cloth diapers, using cloth wipes, rinsing her in the sink with every diaper change, air drying and letting her go bare bum for a couple hours each day.
I am going to try the coconut oil tomorrow and will stop using the doctor’s prescribed cream. Is there anything else you would suggest? I know you mentioned adding lavender and tea tree oil but I also read somewhere that lavender oil has estrogenic effects? I don’t know anything about essential oils and just wanted to hear your thoughts on that. I am going to buy your guide on how to make herbal balms and ointments but am worried that it may be too complicated for me as I have never made anything like that before. You also mentioned that some foods can make baby’s poo/pee more acidic. Do you know what types of foods in particular? Sorry for my bombardment of questions. Thanks in advance!
Hey, Sandy! I’m so sorry for the trouble. It’s very frustrating when your little one has something going on and nothing you do seems to help. First off, about the lavender essential oil. That study, from my understanding, was a flawed study. Robert Tisserand, a world-renown aromatherapist has an article on it here, and Heather from Mommypotamus breaks it down even further and talks about their benefits in her post here. Personally, I think these oils are just fine to use (properly diluted, of course) on myself and my kids. As far as the rash goes, personally, I’d make and use the GOOT recipe in my herbal balms and ointments ebook. It’s the best thing I’ve found for stubborn rashes, especially yeast diaper rashes. It’s easy to make, and you can use it for so many things (coughs & colds – rubbed on the chest and bottom of feet, cuts or scraps with a band-aid, bug bites, and more). Obviously see what the dermatologist says, but if you want to try something natural before using even more medicine, the GOOT may be the way to go. Hope this helps, and good luck!
What herbs are immune system boosting and in what form would a 2 year old get them?
Check these search results out for more info on immune boosting, Brittany. As far as preparations for 2 year olds go, syrups, glycerites, and teas are often easiest.
When my daughter was in diapers. She had issues with heat rash. Her doctor told me to let her go nude for a hour during the hot time of the year. So ever day after dinner my husband and I would take her out to the back yard and let her go naked for a hour or two. That helped take care of her heat rash.
Great advice! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
I have three kids and have experienced all kinds of rashes. Fun. NOT. I can recognize a yeast rash easily now and the best thing I found to clear it up is: (1) 1/2 cup organic apple cider vinegar in their bath, (2) I make a paste with coconut oil, a little bentonite clay, and a couple drops of each: Lavender, frankincense, melaleuca and thyme essential oils and apply this at every diaper change. Clears it right up.
Thanks so much for this article and all you do Meagan!
Thanks for sharing your recipe here, Jana! It looks so simple. If my little guy comes down with a yeast rash before he’s potty trained (which is happening soon), I’ll definitely whip some of this up! Thanks again!
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To Brenda D.-Our daughter is 14 also and wears the cloth diapers and rubberpants for holidays and special occasions.She was potty trained at 3 and a half and after wards i kept a few of her cloth diapers and rubberpants for ‘just in case’ times.She would get excited and have an accident so i used the cloth diapers and rubberpants on her for christmas,easter,etc.When she was 7,she made her First Communion and i did the cloth diapers and rubberpants under her communion dress for the day and she wet twice in them.I always used desitin on her with the cloth diapers.As she got older,i had to get larger cloth diapers and rubberpants and it was the usual,she would wet in them on Easter and Christmas! Last year when she was 13,she was the only flower girl in our niece’s wedding and i did the cloth diapers and rubberpants under her flower girl dress and she wet in them during the ceremony!Afterwards,i took the wet diaper off of her and she wore the rubberpants under her dress the rest of the time and got a rash from them! Last may,she recieved her sacrement of confirmation at 14 and in 8th grade.All the girls had to wear white,poofy,knee length dresses and veils with the lace socks and white shoes,so i did a size 8 pampers cruiser diaper on her with the rubberpants over it under the dress.Again she wet in the pampers during the ceremony and i changed her into another one after the ceremony.I rubbed the desitin on her and after her party late in the afternoon,she was broken out in a bad rash which i was told was from the size 8 pampers!I put her cloth diapers on her with a fresh pair of rubberpants that she wore under her dress for the evening up untill bed time.
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Thank you for this! My baby has had a diaper rash that is not responding to any creams I’ve tried.
You’re very welcome, Lori! Best of luck!
My 3 years old baby, after 3 weeks in her new nursery she has got a rash around the urination area only,for one week I tried an antibacterial-antifungal ointment (kenacomb) +zinc oxide cream, it was getting better but suddenly it gets more worse and she feels it very painful and can not sleep at night, today when she was try to use her toilet seat she felt itching on the rash and respoded to it using her fingers what made it bleed , I can’t find GSE preparations in my country,what can I do for her, she still uses the disposable diapers
I’m sorry your little one is dealing with this, Razan. I’m sure she’s very uncomfortable. The best thing I’ve found to help my little ones when they had diaper rashes was to keep their diapers off as long as possible (this actually helped my boys with potty training too!). Sunlight exposure is also helpful. Other than that, using a cream to protect their skin from urine and poo can help with irritation. If the cream has zinc oxide in it, that seems to help the rash go away faster. If the rash is a yeast rash, I make a cream that uses antifungal herbs along with zinc to help discourage the yeast from spreading further, and hopefully, to go away completely. If you can find a cream similar to that, online or locally, that could be helpful. Best of luck with your little one!
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Lovely to see you flying the flag for natural products Meagan 🙂 I was lucky enough to find a great little intensive diaper salve that contains beeswax, calendula infused almond oil, coconut oil, east cape manuka oil and chamomile oil. It smells simply divine and whats more it was the most impressive diaper rash cream I have ever used. I don’t know whether my baby had diaper rash or yeast rash but either way this cleared it up. I used to use OTC treatment and creams but after using this diaper salve I am now converted to all things natural 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Katey! Would you happen to know what brand it is?